How to Set Up GPT API on a Raspberry Pi

by rasmurtech in Circuits > Raspberry Pi

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How to Set Up GPT API on a Raspberry Pi

ChatGPT Image Sep 7, 2025, 08_31_45 AM.png

Using your Raspberry Pi with the OpenAI GPT API unlocks powerful AI capabilities right from your tiny computer. You can run chatbots, voice assistants, or even automate projects with natural language processing. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to set up GPT API on Raspberry Pi step by step.

Supplies

Here’s what you’ll need to set up the GPT API on your Raspberry Pi:

  1. Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB Recommended)
  2. Buy on Amazon
  3. Official Raspberry Pi Power Supply
  4. Buy on Amazon
  5. MicroSD Card (128GB SanDisk Recommended)
  6. Buy on Amazon
  7. Raspberry Pi Case with Cooling Fan
  8. Buy on Amazon
  9. USB Keyboard and Mouse (if not going headless)
  10. Buy on Amazon
  11. HDMI Cable for Setup
  12. Buy on Amazon
  13. Internet Connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet Cable)
  14. Buy on Amazon


Update Your Raspberry Pi

First, make sure your system is up to date:


sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This ensures all dependencies and libraries are current.

Install Python and Pip

Most Raspberry Pi OS versions already include Python 3. Check with:


python3 --version

If missing, install it:


sudo apt install python3 python3-pip -y


Set Up a Virtual Environment (Optional But Recommended)

A virtual environment keeps your GPT project dependencies separate:


sudo apt install python3-venv -y
python3 -m venv gpt_env
source gpt_env/bin/activate

Your terminal prompt should now show (gpt_env).

Install the OpenAI Python Library

Inside your environment, install the required package:


pip install openai


Get Your OpenAI API Key

  1. Go to OpenAI API Keys.
  2. Generate a new API key.
  3. Copy it — you’ll need it in the next step.

👉 Tip: Never share your API key publicly.

Configure Your API Key

You can save your API key as an environment variable so it’s always available:


echo "export OPENAI_API_KEY='your_api_key_here'" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

Replace your_api_key_here with your actual key.

Write a Test Script

Create a new Python file called gpt_test.py:


nano gpt_test.py

Paste the following code:


import os
from openai import OpenAI

# Load API key
client = OpenAI(api_key=os.getenv("OPENAI_API_KEY"))

# Make a simple GPT request
response = client.chat.completions.create(
model="gpt-4o-mini", # lightweight GPT model
messages=[
{"role": "system", "content": "You are a helpful assistant."},
{"role": "user", "content": "Hello, Raspberry Pi world!"}
]
)

print(response.choices[0].message.content)

Save and exit (CTRL+O, Enter, CTRL+X).

Run Your Script

Run the program with:


python3 gpt_test.py

You should see GPT’s reply printed in your terminal 🎉.

Expand With Projects

Now that GPT API works on your Raspberry Pi, you can build:

  1. Voice Assistants (combine with USB mic + text-to-speech libraries)
  2. IoT Projects (control smart devices via GPT prompts)
  3. Chatbots (serve a web app using Flask or FastAPI)
  4. Coding Helpers (ask GPT to debug your Python scripts directly on Pi)


Troubleshooting Tips

“Module not found: openai” → Make sure you activated your virtual environment.

“API key not found” → Check if the environment variable is set with echo $OPENAI_API_KEY.

Slow performance → Use lightweight models like gpt-4o-mini instead of full GPT-4.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you now know how to set up GPT API on Raspberry Pi. With just a few commands, your Pi transforms into an AI-powered device capable of natural language processing, automation, and much more.